Helsinki to Moscow

2009 07 23 – Day 27 – Helsinki

The Helsinki to Moscow train certainly feels like a special train as it sits at its platform. Smartly dressed train staff/officers/guards stand to attention by the open doors with the air of an different era of travel when service had a touch more ceremony about it all.

I drop my bags in the cabin I'm sharing with a young Russian family of 3 and return to the door to enjoy an enthusiastic, silly and fun goodbye from Sanna & Nunnu.


Watching the Finnish landscape roll by I reflect on the journey so far and the new chapter I'm about to begin. Until now, I'd had a friend or a relative to meet, or a pre-arranged activity to join up with. Now I have a route and a timetable, but I don't have all my tickets and I don't have all my accommodation and so now I really feel like I'm heading off on my own.

On the Town - Tallinn

2009 07 17 – Day 21 – Tallinn

The Sørlandet trainees step out together one last time.

Special mention has to be given to Jacob (left, 15) who, at the time of this photo was working his giddy magic on the Russian doll vodka girls:
If they wanted to see how Norwegian boys party they should meet them back here when they finished and they'd go for an ice cream or something... All the while he's busting his moves on his Segway and shooting them his winning smile...
Did they come back?
Of course they came back!
Nice work Jacob :)


One last meal & some drinks. The next morning many trainees left at 4am back to Norway and most of the rest later in the morning... it was a little strange and a little sad to break up the group after our intense time together, the now quiet Sørlandet waiting for its next batch of trainees.

Goodbye Family!

2009 06 - leaving

and Happy 97th Birthday Granny Mary! :)

(would you look at the size of that pepper grinder!)

Goodbye Dundee!

2009 06 - leaving

After 11 years here it's weird to think I won't be coming back to this place anytime soon...

Goodbye friends!

2009 06 - leaving

Ok so this was Mick's leaving party photo... but it was the day before my leaving party, many of the people are the same and he did a better job of organising a group photo than I did!
(the other two are all mine!)